Awards Presented by the National Association of Credit Management and Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Accountemps

Columbia, MD: June 6, 2011-The National Association of Credit Management (NACM) has recognized Gwendolyn A. Stroops, CCE of Phoenix, Arizona, as the 2011 Mentor of the Year and the 2011 NACM/Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Accountemps Instructor of the Year. Stroops was feted at NACM's 115th Annual Credit Congress and Exposition, held in Nashville, Tennessee, May 22-25.

The distinction between teaching and mentoring is sometimes blurred, especially when one encounters an individual such as Gwen Stroops. Dedicated, enthusiastic and generous, she is a consummate mentor and educator and a proponent of lifelong learning. The indefatigable Ms. Stroops is well known within NACM and its educational unit, the Credit and Financial Development Division (CFDD), for diving into projects regardless of size and scope and sharing her well-honed knowledge and wisdom. Empathy and encouragement characterize her approach to helping colleagues move through the credit landscape.

Ms. Stroops has been an instructor and mentor for NACM of Arizona/Southwest Business Credit Services (SWBCS) and for the Phoenix chapter of CFDD for more than a decade. She leads classes under the auspicious of the Credit Administration Program and the Advanced Credit Administration Program and provides examination review sessions for those preparing to sit for NACM's certification exams while also serving as a mentor for CFDD-related initiatives.

Ms. Stroops has been a member of the credit profession since 1983. She is the credit manager for Smith Pipe & Steel Company, a division of Delta Steel and a wholesale distributor of pre-processed steel based in Phoenix. Additionally, Ms. Stroops is a long-standing volunteer leader who recently completed a two-year term as president of CFDD Phoenix. She is also an area director on the CFDD National Board of Directors and has previously served on the boards of directors for the CFDD chapter and NACM affiliate in Rochester, New York.

Her tireless contributions have not gone without notice. Ms. Stroops received NACM of Arizona's James F. Sullivan Lifetime Achievement award, the organization's highest honor, in 2010. She was also recognized as the 2007 NACM of Arizona Mentor of the Year and the 2005 CFDD National Mentor of the Year.

"Gwen consistently goes beyond what is expected in order to ensure that her students learn efficiently and thoroughly. She mentors her students and encourages them to better themselves personally and professionally," explained Richard J. Adams Jr., CAE, CCE, president of NACM of Arizona/SWBCS. Sheila Roames, CCE, a fellow 2011 honoree and CFDD peer, noted, "Gwen's dedication and devotion to the mentoring process was instrumental in my growth as a credit professional and as a leader."

The National Association of Credit Management warmly congratulates Ms. Stroops on being honored as both the 2011 Mentor of the Year and the 2011 Instructor of the Year.

The NACM-National Honors and Awards Committee bases its awards on a scoring system that rates nominees in nearly 50 areas of professional life, including their participation in NACM activities on the local and national levels, service on local and national industry credit groups, educational attainment in the credit field, continuing education participation, professional accomplishments and dedication to the profession.

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NACM, headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, supports more than 16,000 business credit and financial professionals worldwide with premier industry services, tools and information. NACM and its network of Affiliated Associations are the leading resource for credit and financial management information and education, delivering products and services, which improve the management of business credit and accounts receivable. NACM's collective voice has influenced legislative results concerning commercial business and trade credit to our nation's policy makers for more than 100 years, and continues to play an active part in legislative issues pertaining to business credit and corporate bankruptcy. Its annual Credit Congress is the largest gathering of credit professionals in the world.

NACM has a wealth of member experts in the fields of business-to-business credit and law. Consider using NACM as a resource in the development of your next business story.